Radiance
by Mirai Kusakurin
Summary: He never thought he'd see the cat like that. He was aggresive, annoying, and loud. But somehow... under the setting sun... he looked beautiful. One-shot. Yuki and Kyo's POV.


Alright, this isn't my first Fruits Basket fanfic, but it's my first one-shot… that I won't continue to work on… because it's a one-shot. Anyway, while I was reading a FB fanfic called "Off Balance", I suddenly got inspired to write something. ^^ I hope you like it. And… if you'd like to see more—

Kyo: It's a one-shot dammit! You don't do more than ONE chapter!

Me: B-but…!

Kyo: Shuddup!

Me… Okay…

Yuki: You're so sad.

Kyo

There are only some moments in our lives when we feel ultimately content. In some of those rare moments, we may feel like time has stopped, and everything is quiet and calm.

From where I lay, I feel content, for the first and possibly the only time in my life. For the moment, I don't hate the rat or Akito. It doesn't bother me that I still haven't beaten Yuki, and therefore, my freedom will still be limited to nothing after I graduate.

Right now, the sun is pouring its warmth down on me, and that's the only thing that matters to me. I could die right now and be completely happy.

I wish time _would _stop. I wish I could feel like this forever… and I wish… the sun wasn't setting so quickly.

"Hey."

I looked away from the sky, just for a moment to look at Yuki. "Hey, rat. What do you want?" I asked, but no venom was in my voice this time. It was… just casual. It felt a little odd. Every time I saw him, I always glared or scowled, or yelled at the top of my lungs to show how deep my hate was for him. This time, it didn't show one bit. But I supposed I should give the rat a break. He's been taking up with me nearly our whole lives.

I'll control myself, just for now.

Yuki

I blinked when he started talking to me so calmly. I wondered why he wasn't being hostile towards me. I wonder why the sun's radiance that was shining down on him made him look even more radiant. Wait… No. Kyo's not _radiant_. He's a lot of things, but not radiant. But still, for a moment, I was lost myself in the way his tan skin looked from the light, how his hair looked (somehow) even brighter, and how his eyes looked soft and tired for once. For a moment, I forgot why I had come up here in the first place.

Kyo huffed and sat up, looking at me impatiently. I chuckled nervously and stepped off the ladder and onto the roof. "Dinner's ready," I said, trying to tear my eyes away from him. Stupid cat… I wonder if he's realized…

Kyo nodded and lay back down on the roof, his gaze going back to the setting sun. "I'm not hungry," he said, and I finally heard some stubbornness in his tone.

I frowned and tilted my head to the side. He didn't want to eat _Tohru's cooking_? What was wrong with him? If he told her that, she'd probably start to cry, or start checking his temperature to see if he was sick. I took a breath and sat down beside him. "Stupid cat… she's going to make a fuss over you if you don't."

Kyo didn't say anything for a long time. He stared up at the sky, with a sadly content look. It's strange to see him like this, just sitting there, and not trying to strangle me, or challenge me to a fight he knew he'd lose. "I'm not hungry, Rat."

I sighed and looked away from him. I wanted to ask him what his problem was. Knowing him, he'd probably come up with a string of rude words and shake his fist. But would he? He seemed so different today. Well… at the moment, anyway. I've just never seen him so calm… "Kyo…" I started, but I stopped myself. If this was going to be the only moment where he would be able to even sit in the same area as him, I wanted it to last. I don't know why, either. Maybe because… I've always wanted this. Some kind of peace between us. I don't think it will last, which is why I wanted to savor it.

Kyo turned his head to look at me, his eyes turning a darker shade of orange. I guess I'm irritating him by stalling. "If you've got somethin' to say, Rat, then say it."

I smiled slightly. Well, he isn't that much different than from how he usually is. "You… you seem to be a little off. Is there… something wrong?" I asked him carefully. I don't want him to get the wrong idea. I'm not worried about him or anything…

I mentally laughed at myself. I wouldn't have asked him if I didn't care.

Kyo shrugged, still looking at me. "I'm just not hungry, like I said." His lips twitched up in a bitter grin. "What, are you worried, stupid rat?"

Ah, there it was. I knew he would try to act tough and mean. It's not working, though. I can see right through that… "Of course not," I lied. "It's just that… I don't want you to complain about being hungry because you didn't eat."

Kyo rolled his eyes and looked back at the sky again. "I'll just make some damn rice balls or something if I'm hungry later."

I wonder if he would make cat-shaped rice balls again?

Kyo

I sat up once the moon was high up in the sky. Why was Yuki still here? I thought he would have left once I told him I wasn't hungry. He stayed after that, and he even acted like he cared when he asked me that stupid question. Ha. The Rat, care about me, the Cat? That was laughable.

I felt a familiar pain in my chest, which I assume was annoyance. Why the hell won't he just go away? He's probably thinking about saying something to piss me off. I quickly turned my head to look at him. He just needs to go away because…

I swallowed. I don't think I've ever seen him outside before after dark. Maybe I have, but… right now, he looks… more stunning than the full moon above us. I hate to say it, but he does. His purple eyes were lit up, sparks of silver in the irises. How could someone look like that? I'll admit that I've always thought of him as beautiful. I've always thought of him as perfect, actually, but I only thought that because I was angry at him for being perfect. I hated that he was so beautiful. But now, he looks perfect in a different way.

I felt my irritation wash away and look away before he saw me looking at him for too long. Damn it! Why am I thinking this _now_? It's not like I don't see him every long, dull-ass day! "Yuki…" I said quietly, almost soft enough that I couldn't even hear myself.

But damn him, he heard it. It was the first time I said his name without vehemence.

He looked at me, his eyes still shining. He looked surprised that I said his name. I think, out of the corner of my eye, I saw some color come to his pale face. "What is it, Kyo?"

I swallowed thickly. Why was everything about him suddenly so damn beautiful? The different kind of beautiful from before, of course, but… augh! What the hell is going on with me?! "Why…" I wanted to ask him what the hell he was still here. I should be angry. If he thinks he can just sit with me, and not have any threats or fists thrown at him, he was wrong. "Why didn't you eat?" That really wasn't what I wanted to say, and I didn't even sound pissed off. He must have gotten the message though, because he looked down and stood up. "I wasn't hungry, that's all."

He went to the ladder and only turned his body to me so he could climb down. Was he biting his lip?

--

Tomorrow will be hell. We have school, but I can't sleep. It's not like I have insomnia or anything. I just can't sleep. I'm not tired one bit, and when I do try to fall asleep; I see Yuki's face. His eyes sparkling… his pale skin practically glowing from the moonlight…

My stomach growled, and I growled right back. I should have just came in earlier and ate, no matter how content I felt. I wouldn't be thinking like this. I swear I'm going insane.

I got up from my bed and went down stairs, and stuck my head in the refrigerator. The only thing that looked really good to me at this time of night is milk. I can always just eat in the morning.

I grabbed the milk and drank straight from the carton. No one drinks milk other than me, and they usually don't mind. When I put the milk up and closed the refrigerator door, I jumped, seeing Yuki at the doorway of the kitchen. "The hell! You can't sneak up on people like that, Rat!" I smirked slightly. Finally, I can yell at him again. There's no reason I shouldn't have been able in the first place, though…

Yuki

Stupid Cat. He'll wake Tohru and Shigure up if he yells again. "Hush," I said, crossing my arms across my chest. "You're so noisy. Do you ever shut up?"

Kyo scowled at me, his eyes seeming to burn a hole through my face. "Shut the hell up, Rat. What are you doing down here, anyway?"

I felt my cheeks tingle. Actually, I saw him come down, and I wanted to talk to him. I must have been half-asleep, though, because I really don't know how to talk to him now. I can't just say, "You looked radiant earlier, and I just wanted to talk to you and maybe touch you without having to hurt you." It sounded stupid in my head, so I wasn't going to say it out loud. "I… I couldn't sleep."

Kyo raised his eyebrows slightly, the scowl vanishing from his face. "Well…" I think he was trying to think of some angry retort, but he couldn't think of one. "Yeah, well, me either."

I felt a smile tug at my lips before I said anything else. "Don't cats need at least fourteen hours of sleep?"

"Don't rats eat a lot of cheese?"

Yes, that was it. Radiant. The small but obvious smile that he had was radiant.

I hope I didn't end it badly… But I think I'll use this, or something like it in a new story, when I'm finished with my other FB fanfic I'm working on. Except… it might be rated higher. Heh…

I had trouble with the tenses, I think, because I don't usually write like this. If you see any mistakes, you gotta tell me so I can fix it. So… reviews are ubbbberrr appreciated.


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